Spiritual tourism to take centrestage in Kashmir Valley

After witnessing a jam-packed summer season, Spiritual Tourism is all set to take centre stage in the Kashmir Valley in the coming days. 

To begin with, members of the Kashmiri Pandit community will be attending the annual Mela Kheer Bhawani in the central Kashmir district of Ganderbal from June 22.  For Kashmiri Pandits, many of whom migrated from the Valley in the 1990s due to militancy, the mela is more than a religious event; it is a homecoming, a reconnection with their heritage, and a moment to pray for peace in their homeland.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah himself inspected various facilities put in place for the devotees and reviewed the arrangements for the smooth conduct of the mela. Abdullah also paid obeisance at the temple.

“It is a sacred day. People come here from various parts of the country and around the world to pay obeisance and receive the blessings of the mata. I have come here in the capacity of the chief minister of J-K, and more so as the MLA Ganderbal, to assess the arrangements and review the preparations,” Abdullah told reporters after the visit.

The chief minister said he spoke to the priests and others at the temple who raised some issues about the arrangements and assured them that attempts will be made to address them before the mela on June 22.

From July 3, the annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath Cave Shrine is also set to begin via both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes.

To provide a conducive atmosphere to the visiting pilgrims, the Union Territory administration has made unprecedented security arrangements. More than one lakh security personnel have been roped in for the yatra duty this year to ensure the peaceful conduct of the yatra.

Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, Army Commander Northern Command, visited Pahalgam and Chandanwari to review the security situation and assess operational preparedness along the Southern Route ahead of the commencement of the yatra.

Meanwhile, mock drills were conducted in several districts in the Valley and in Jammu as security forces intensified measures to ensure a smooth pilgrimage this year, officials said.

“To assess and strengthen the security preparedness, emergency response mechanisms, and inter-agency coordination for the smooth and safe conduct of the annual pilgrimage, authorities are conducting comprehensive mock drills across the Valley,” the officials said.

On Thursday, mock drills were conducted in the Pulwama and Kulgam districts in South Kashmir. Similar drills were conducted at the Yatri Niwas base camp in Jammu and at the Jammu railway station to ensure greater synergy among the various security agencies deployed on yatra duty.